Expert offers warning of Brexit challenges ahead to ensure the continuity of vital export markets

it may be straightforward to disentangle ourselves and enter into a bilateral agreement with the third country.

“But unfortunately when you dig into the detail you’ll see that the underlying commitment is the negotiating party is signed up to the European Treaties, which we are leaving. For example, within the agreement with Egypt, there’s a specific commitment the EU supplies seed potatoes tariff and quota free, but there’s a reciprocal agreement we take 250,000 tariff-free tonnes of ware potatoes from Egypt. It’s quite clear the UK will not want to take that full quota, so we will have to enter into some form of negotiation.”

According to Mr Hardwick, even the UK’s bilateral agreements, for example exporting malting barley to China, will be affected by Brexit. The

Peter Hardwick told of seed potato sector fears.

agreements are underpinned by the European regulatory framework, something the UK will have to replicate to assure buyers about standards.

AHDB Beef & Lamb revealed this week that exports of beef and veal from the UK declined by 21 per cent on the year in April. With volumes totalling 7,200 tonnes, exports continue to fall behind those in 2016, a trend which has been apparent since the beginning of the year. With the production of beef and veal in the UK still falling behind 2016, there are limited supplies for export.

The reduction in exports was driven by falling shipments destined for other countries within the EU, down by 27 per cent compared to 2016. Volumes going to Ireland and the Netherlands were down in April, by 30 per cent and 43 per cent, whereas Hong Kong was one of the few markets to increase their imports of UK beef and veal, with their market share increasing to nine per cent.

Payments worth £6.7million are being made to 1,050 Scottish sheep producers by tomorrow.

The 2016 payment rate is €77.08 (£65.69) per ewe hogg. Under the 2015 scheme the payment rate was €78.12 (£57.13). The rise in the sterling payment is due to the exchange rate. WOOD Group has been hired to provide engineering support for the construction of one of the first wind farms in Mongolia.

The Aberdeen-based engineering giant will work as owners’ engineer on the Tsetsii wind farm. This is being built on a site 300 miles south of the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.

The company said the wind farm will supply Mongolia with clean, ecoefficient electricity by harnessing the Asian country’s vast and inexhaustible wind resources.

Mongolia is heavily reliant on coal-fired generating plants.

Renewable energy is a growth market for Wood Group, which wants to reduce its reliance on the North Sea oil services market.

The 25 turbine Tsetsii wind farm will have 50